The present disclosure relates to toner containers containing toner for use in image formation and image forming apparatuses with the same and particularly relates to a technique for cooling toner in a toner container.
With increasing range of functions and downsizing of image forming apparatuses, a large number of parts have been disposed in narrower and narrower spaces. Therefore, efficient cooling of the apparatus interior is being required.
Various cooling techniques effectively using narrow spaces are proposed, for example, to form an air passage between a process cartridge and a member of an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus or to use the interior of an optical system in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus as an air passage.
Also, as for toner for use in image formation, it is necessary to take its cooling into consideration because the toner has a low melting temperature.
For example, there is a technique in which immediately before a recording paper sheet having a toner image formed thereon is discharged to a sheet output tray, air is sprayed on the recording paper sheet to cool the recording paper sheet and the toner image. Thus, the toner on the recording paper sheet to be discharged to the sheet output tray can be promptly set to prevent the occurrence of the trouble that a plurality of recording paper sheets discharged on the sheet output tray are bonded together by an adhesive action of unset toner. Furthermore, since the temperature of the recording paper sheet is lowered, the sheet output tray is prevented from being warmed. This has the effect of preventing temperature rise around a toner container in respect of a structure in which the toner container is disposed under a portion of an apparatus body housing where the sheet output tray is provided.
Meanwhile, a technique is proposed in which toner contained in a toner cartridge is encapsulated with a thin sheet, the toner cartridge is set in a toner supply device in an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus, and upon take-off of the sheet the toner is supplied from the toner cartridge to the toner supply device. This proposition includes no technical description on the cooling of the toner cartridge or the toner and the sheet does not serve to cool the toner. Also in this case, however, it is necessary to take the cooling of the toner into consideration.